Between Life, Love, Death, and Chocolate
by oreobark
Summary: It seems like, for Ino, that everyone from the Konoha 11 has fallen in love and never has any time for her. She feels lonely and neglected until the Hokage has her sent to Suna and she meets a certain Kazekage and sparks are sure to fly. Gaara and Ino. Gaaino. GaaraxIno


**Hello Reader! Thank you for taking the time to check out my story. This is my first Fanfic so please give me areview and tell me what you think. This will end up being a mulit-chapter fic and the main pairing is GaaIno. Other minor pairings include: ShikaTema, NaruHina, NejTen, and SaiSaku.**

**If you do not like these pairings then please by all means don't read this. I'd rather have you not read this than leave a hateful comment. Thank you.**

**This first chapter here does not have Gaara in it. It is more like establishing Ino. So sorry:(**

**This takes place nine years after The Fourth Great Shinobi War. Regardless of who actually wins the war and of who dies, I'm just gonna say that Naruto and Company wins and nobody dies.**

**Disclamer:****_ I do not own Naruto._**

* * *

_ Chapter One_

* * *

Ino sighed as she plopped down on the grass and stared up at the vast majority of twinkling stars hanging over Konoha.

She was sitting near her sensei's grave. A past time she had come to pick up recently. She would come at sunset, clean it up by brushing away dead leaves and other debris, then leave incense burning and a few columbine flowers.

She would just rant to him all the things that where happening in her life. Granted she still ranted to anybody who would listen, but with Asuma it felt more personal. He had _always_ listened to her patiently and when she was done he give her his thoughts and advice.

A pang hit her stomach. It had been nine and a half years since his death but she still felt his death every day. The pain had lessoned over the years but her thoughts, more often then not, wondered to her Sensei and her past mistakes and desicions. Losing Asuma made her all the more protective of Shikamaru and Choji. She mothered them to the point of annoyance. But she knew deep down them appreciated what she did.

She knew she could be bossy and could nag your ear off. And it wasn't just for Shikamaru and Choji. She also nagged her girl friends as well as Naruto and the gang. Most of the time it annoyed th eheck out of everybody, but that was the way she showed she cared. It was a strange way for affection, she would admit, but it was the only way she knew how.

She really needed a boyfriend. Ino sighed again and looked around at the blooming Sakura trees that where barley visible in the growing darkness but was still possible to make out. "So today Sakura told me her and Sai where dating. Must be nice to have a special somebody. I haven't had a boyfriend in God knows how long. But I'm sure you already know that, Sensei."

The wind gently brushed at her hair and her purple kimono with red and gold dragon designs, making the gold ornaments in her light blonde locks jingle softly. Her mother had bought her them one year as a Christmas present.

"You told me not lose to Sakura when it came to love but I don't think that really matters anymore. Because I'm sure you meant Sasuke then. And we all know what that Sasuke is an asshole."

The birds and the bugs began to make chirps and crickets that gradually turned into a symphony of a beautiful harmony.

"I don't even know why we where so obsessed with that damn Uchiha."

Ino sighed then began again. "He just had this way about him. The don't-fuck-with-me vibes, his cold, calm, and stoic expression, the Sharingan, his aristocratic features. He was impressive in everything he did. And, I guess, to a couple of hormonal preteen girls he was an awe inspiring god sent from heaven."

She took a breath. "Any girl would have wanted to be with him.. I guess I do know why." Ino laughed awkwardly. "But his personality was sort of lacking."

The flower watched as more and more stars began to come out and shine their beauty down on her.

"I'm proud to say I am no longer obsessed nor 'in love' with Sasuke. But its kind of annoying and disheartening when you see practically everybody you know being all lovely dovey all the time! All my friends have someone in their lives. Heck! Tenten and Temari are even married to Neji and Shikamaru, respectively..."

Her voice softly and gradually came to a stop. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes and ruin her carefully applied make-up. Tonight there and been a festival and this time every single one of her friends where busy with their dates. This has not happened last festival. Because Sakura had been single back then.

In the good old days. Back when my freinds weren't so busy with their guys. Ino thought.

Being Jounin level Shinobi, who were usually busy with missions, and then having a boyfriend or a spouse made it hard for them to make time anymore for lonely little Ino. Having been surrounded by people her entire life made this an entirely new situation. She knew they weren't shutting her out on purpose. It was just that they were busy and had other priorities.

It wasn't like she wasn't happy for her friends but she couldn't help but feel a little bitter. Didn't anybody want to be around her? Was she not loveable? It wasnt like Ino hadn't tried dating men from Konoha before but none where to her liking. It wasn't like she was not pretty. No, on the contrary, she was gorgeous. She had a lean, slightly, muscular body. Long, soft blonde hair. A lovely narrow face and clear blue eyes. She really didn't look a thing like her mother.

She certainly was strong. Her abilities had grown tremendously. As had everyone from her batch. She had gotten better chakra control and as her and Choji found out, she had a wind based chakra. Granting her the ability to generate her chakra into her weapons. She was a good medic-nin. Her mind capabilities had probably surpassed her fathers. She could read body language as well as she could her own handwriting.

And, thankfully, she had gotten over her fickleness and vanity. Devoting most of her time and effort into training over the last nine years. She had also developed strong solid relationships with her friends. People found her less obnoxious and more respectable. Something Ino was very grateful for.

She was fierce and strong in battle. Loyal and kind to her friends. And beautiful without even trying.

So then if she had it all together why was she still single. She wasn't exactly looking for commitment just yet but a boyfriend would be nice. She was even willing to settle for _just_ a date with a guy.

She felt lonely and friend deprived.

What had started out as what was supposed to be a simple, fun filled night with her friends turned into her sitting _alone_, away from civilization, ranting about her life problems.

She sighed for about the billionth time that night and got up. She smoothed out her kimono and began to head towards the village. Ino's stomach rumbled, having only had a few bites of a sandwich earlier, and she decided that only a big bowl of ice cream would make her feel better.

* * *

**So let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is great but there is no need to be mean.**

**Tell if I conveyed her pain to you guys well enough. She is lonely and upset since she has always been around people who love her and she feels that they know longer have time to spend with her. Also she feels as though everybody has somebody special in their lives and that she is the only one who is not romantically involved.**

**Sorry Gaara is not in this chapter. But he will be int he next one! **

**Until next time.**


End file.
